Isabela and Fernandina Islands
What a nice morning!
Nothing could have been better than an early rise to look for cetaceans, and luckily we found them! It was right before breakfast when a group of common dolphins were spotted near by the northern side of Isabela Island. After playing with them for a little while we continued our navigation towards Ecuador volcano. This side of the island provides a spectacular geological landscape and quite an incredible array of wildlife on its surroundings.
Right after anchoring we headed for a Zodiac ride that turned out to be one of the best I’ve had lately! Lots of sea turtles, big schools of fish, birds flying around, penguins and cormorants foraging, and as if this wasn’t enough, a small pod of dolphins entered the bay and played briefly with some of us.
After this wonderful outing, we went back to the ship to pick up our snorkeling gear and headed for some swimming and snorkeling off the above mentioned bay. It seemed as if the animals were waiting for us, because as soon as we jumped in the water they all gracefully swam in the same area. I could tell that everyone was in some sort of ecstasy, since our guests could not stop yelling from Zodiac to Zodiac the amazing things we saw in the water.
Once back on board, the Hotel Manager had a special Ecuadorian typical buffet lunch prepared - it was simply delectable!
The afternoon was not less exiting than the morning. After a smooth and short navigation, the Captain dropped anchor at Punta Espinoza located at Fernandina Island. This is one of the youngest islands and certainly the most pristine of all. We enjoyed a Zodiac ride along the rocky coastline with plentiful wildlife: blue-footed boobies, herons, flightless cormorants and penguins. And for our walk, an uplifted area welcomed us with just a few thousand marine iguanas well-camouflaged with the rocks.
As we were making our way back, a couple of orca whales showed up to make this definitely an unforgettable day! Unfortunately, the night was falling upon us and we had to return to the ship, but the good news is that we still have many more days like this yet to come…
What a nice morning!
Nothing could have been better than an early rise to look for cetaceans, and luckily we found them! It was right before breakfast when a group of common dolphins were spotted near by the northern side of Isabela Island. After playing with them for a little while we continued our navigation towards Ecuador volcano. This side of the island provides a spectacular geological landscape and quite an incredible array of wildlife on its surroundings.
Right after anchoring we headed for a Zodiac ride that turned out to be one of the best I’ve had lately! Lots of sea turtles, big schools of fish, birds flying around, penguins and cormorants foraging, and as if this wasn’t enough, a small pod of dolphins entered the bay and played briefly with some of us.
After this wonderful outing, we went back to the ship to pick up our snorkeling gear and headed for some swimming and snorkeling off the above mentioned bay. It seemed as if the animals were waiting for us, because as soon as we jumped in the water they all gracefully swam in the same area. I could tell that everyone was in some sort of ecstasy, since our guests could not stop yelling from Zodiac to Zodiac the amazing things we saw in the water.
Once back on board, the Hotel Manager had a special Ecuadorian typical buffet lunch prepared - it was simply delectable!
The afternoon was not less exiting than the morning. After a smooth and short navigation, the Captain dropped anchor at Punta Espinoza located at Fernandina Island. This is one of the youngest islands and certainly the most pristine of all. We enjoyed a Zodiac ride along the rocky coastline with plentiful wildlife: blue-footed boobies, herons, flightless cormorants and penguins. And for our walk, an uplifted area welcomed us with just a few thousand marine iguanas well-camouflaged with the rocks.
As we were making our way back, a couple of orca whales showed up to make this definitely an unforgettable day! Unfortunately, the night was falling upon us and we had to return to the ship, but the good news is that we still have many more days like this yet to come…
